Kyoto & Osaka Autumn Indulgence on a Cheap Budget

BACKGROUND

For our first major post-Covid trip, we chose Kyoto (19-24 November) as neither of us have been there and we could take leave then, which is around that area’s peak Autumn season. 

Timing is everything here, Kyoto’s (and Tokyo’s) peak autumn bloom is usually End-November to Early-December (check forecast websites for specific timings). Anything early or later than that will bring major disappointment. Also, sunset is at 5:30 pm during this period, so try to have early nights and start early as soon as possible.

The weather is about 10–15 °C (50-59°F) during the day and 5 °C (41°F) at night, so pack warm with a thick jacket and scarf. It’s wise to also bring over-the-counter medication just in case you catch a bug or cold there.

Like many Kyoto visitors, we bunked in Osaka for several reasons: Kyoto has few or pricey accommodation, while Osaka has cheap airbnb lodging/hotels, plenty of attractions and great food, and is only an hour or so train ride away from Kyoto.

PREPARATION — FLIGHTS, HOTELS/AIRBNB, TRAIN PASSES, MONEY EXCHANGE, IMMIGRATION REGISTRATION, ROAMING

Flights

We took the cheapest option Scoot for this trip, with return flights around S$500 per pax from Singapore. 

If you’re going to Tokyo, I recommend taking Zipair, with return flights as low as S$450 per pax from Singapore. It’s a legit budget carrier under JAL which does not show up on third-party flight booking websites.

Accommodation

We booked a very affordable Osaka airbnb in Nishinari Ward, which cost S$370 (US$270) for 2 people for 5 nights (Can sleep up to 4 on two queen-beds for S$110 per night, that’s like S$23 or US$17) with full amenities.

I recommend getting accommodation near a JR rail station, especially Osaka or Shin-Osaka station, which facilities travel to and from Kyoto.

Osaka Metro & JR West Passes

Also get the Osaka Metro Unlimited Pass (for 2 entire back-to-back days in Osaka) and the JR West Kansai Wide Area Pass (5 Days). This saves plenty of time, money, and hassle when travelling within Osaka and between cities.

Currency Exchange

Many places in Osaka and Kyoto only accept cash, so exchange currency beforehand (you can exchange Yen at Changi airport at a good rate). 

How much to change depends on your itinerary, budget, and shopping needs (for example, Universal Studios Japan already costs from S$80/US$60 upwards), so a safe gauge is average S$100 (US$75) a day per pax. Sometimes we opted for cheap yet wholly satisfying local dishes, while splurging a couple of times on exquisite meals (think high-grade marbled Kobe beef).

Online Immigration Registration

Next, you should register your trip at Visit Japan Web to expedite your immigration upon arrival (don’t need to fill up the paper card).

 

Internet Roaming & Wifi

We shared a single 7 day roaming plan from our carrier vivifi (using Mobile Hotspot) for S$17.

Osaka has plenty of free wifi spots, including the airport, train stations, malls, and restaurants. Kyoto, however, has very few free wifi spots available.

Total Flight Cost: S$680 (US$500) per pax

Total Airbnb Cost: S$370 (S$185 or US$135 per pax) for 5 Nights

JR Rail & Osaka Metro Ticket Cost: S$109+S$11 (US$90) per pax for 5 Days Consecutive Travel

Roaming Cost: S$17 (US$13) total for 7 Days

TRANSPORT

Besides the JR West rail pass, you’ll need to take metro trains to and from your accommodation to the JR line. If you don’t have the Osaka Metro Unlimited Pass, a metro ride costs on average about 240 Yen (S$2.40/US$1.80). Taxis in Osaka are a rarity and we didn’t use them.

Unfortunately, we realised most of the trains are usually packed with no available seating. Be prepared to stand for most journeys, including the 30+ min JR ride between Osaka(大阪)/Shin-Osaka(新大阪) station and Kyoto station (the main train hub in Kyoto city).

In Kyoto, you can take a combination of trains, taxis, buses, and walking to move between the major tourist attractions. 

We only used the trains and taxis in Kyoto, as I read buses were very packed during this season and inconvenient. Taxis in Kyoto are quite expensive, but very handy to visit inaccessible attractions especially Kinkaku-ji temple in northwest Kyoto. Taxis are an affordable and convenient mode of transport if travelling in a group of four.

If you are travelling solo or as a couple and want to stretch your dollar further, buses and trains are the way to go, plus they allow you to visit some inaccessible attractions.

From Top Left: Sukiyaki, Katsudon, Tsukemen, Ramen, Yakinuku (Red Meat & Sirloin), Yakiniku (Kobe), Soba, Takoyaki, Sushi, Tempura, Oysters, Omu Rice, Yakisoba, Okonomiyaki, Kushikatsu

Our Japanese meals were cheap, fast, tasty, and filling! Near our airbnb in Osaka, we had great sukiyaki at a Sukiya chain restaurant, incredibly cheap breakfast set at a mom-and-pop cafe (350yen/S$3.17/US$2.38 per pax), tskuemen ramen at Maruboshi Tskuemen, and croffles breakfast at Yogi Cafe.

Near downtown Osaka, we had a fabulous Kobe beef dinner at Kitashinchi Yakiniku Kikuchi (best to go to any steakhouse during lunch hour for half price!). At Ikeda, the small city which hosts the cup noodle museum, we snacked on takoyaki balls from Tako Suke, and an awesome soba meal at Torisoba.

At the famous Dotonbori and Shinsekai districts, we sampled a wide variety of dishes, with some hits and misses: Great sushi at Kaminari Sushi, mediocre tempura but tantilising fresh giant oysters at Tempura Tarojiro, cheap but average omu rice at Dearbros food stall, a Kushikatsu deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables menu at Kushikatsu Daruma Shinsaibashi.

Nearby at Namba’s sprawling underground metro station, we discovered delicious bread at Die Gute Bakery, had a great cup of coffee at Cafe Eiko, and lunched on okonomiyaki at Okonomi Yukari.

In Kyoto, we had delicious pork katsu dinner set at Isetan’s Wako, and unique clam ramen at Sanjo-kai Shotengai street. Unfortunately Kyoto’s famous Kichi Kichi Omurice restaurant does not accept walk-ins, online reservations only (as we found out the hard way).

SHOPPING

Shopping is plentiful in Osaka, our favourite was the MEGA Don Quijote Shinsekai, which is also duty free. Other shopping locations such as Dotonbori and Namba tend to be slightly more expensive, with no duty free benefits too.

Kyoto sells mostly local-themed souvenirs (kimonos give a 10% discount when taking taxi there!) and tourist trinkets, if that’s your kind of thing.

Optional: You can consider going to the Nagashima factory outlet via this Klook day tour which includes a spectacular light show, if you like shopping for boutique brands.

DAY 1: ARRIVING

We landed at Kansai International Airport (KIX) in the afternoon. Even with the online registration, immigration still took about 30 minutes because of long queues, but customs clearance was quick.

Reaching the airport train terminal, we went to the JR rail center to redeem our JR rail passes from Klook. We also decided to start using our JR pass only on Day 2, which meant we had to take the Nankai train to Osaka (970 yen per pax one trip), then change to the metro line to go to our airbnb.

DAY 2: KYOTO — WEST (ARASHIYAMA, BAMBOO GROVE, TENRYU, KINKAKU-JI)

Next day, we had breakfast and set off for Kyoto. Choose the special rapid service trains between Osaka/Shin-Osaka and Kyoto which have fewer stops so you can reach your destination faster.

Kyoto, like everywhere in the world now, is jam-packed with tourists. Every decent attraction is buzzing with people, especially late morning till dusk.

On hindsight and to save time and money, I suggest visiting west/north Kyoto on one day, and east Kyoto on the other day (if you have two days to spare for Kyoto). If you have more days to spare, budget more days for the east side, which has more attractions in my opinion.

Our first stop was Arashiyama. We set off late (cause I fell sick during half my time in Japan), and from Kyoto station, switched to the [E] Sagano (San-in Line (platforms 32–33), which brought us to Saga-Arishiyama station. 

At the packed station, you can follow the crowds down the quiet street, past cute cafes and souvenir shops, which led us to the main tourist street leading to Togetsu-kyo Bridge. Crossing the bridge and heading on leads to Kameyama-koen Park, the hilltop monkey park, which we didn’t go due to time constraints.

We returned across the bridge and headed west along the river to Arashiyama Park Kameyama Area, with beautiful autumn trees at peak red. Following the trail and signs brought us to the famed Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.

Going through the grove, we encountered the Tenryu Shrine (500 yen entry fee per pax). We decided to give it a go and was not disappointed with some great autumn foliage. We didn’t stay in Arashiyama long because of time and bad weather (cloudy with drizzles) but this place does have many unique, quaint places to explore if you have the time.

After exiting the shrine and Arashiyama, I recommend hailing a taxi to Kinkaku-ji Temple (Golden Pavilion) if it is still early afternoon (1-3 pm).

This temple is a top tourist attraction yet really inaccessible, and a taxi ride there from Tenryu will cost about 3,000 yen (S$27/US$20) and 30 minutes. We only managed to see Kinkaku-ji at sunset, and it was still impressive (500 yen entry fee per pax) so go earlier for the best sights.

Afterwards, you can hail a taxi from the nearby taxi stand back to Kyoto station for another 3,000 yen. Isetan Kyoto is linked to the station which has many dining choices and shops selling snacks in the basement level. From there, it’s a long journey back to Osaka.

DAY 3: KYOTO — EAST (FUSHIMI-INARI, TOFUKU-JI, KIYOMIZU-DERA)

Next day, we set off for Kyoto station again, but this time we took the [D] JR Nara line to Inari station, which drops you off just outside Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine, with its 1,000 iconic red torii gates.

We then walked to Tofuku-ji Temple, a sprawling area of temples and scenic beauty (1000 yen entry fee per pax). Here, we got some of our best autumn colour shots.

From here, you can hail a taxi (15 minutes, 4300 yen) or walk (40 minutes) to Sannenzaka, the bustling pedestrian street lined with historic shops and gateway to Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is another 15 min long, uphill climb to the temple grounds. 

We did not pay the 400 yen entry fee to go inside, but did manage to take some iconic photos of the main temple, which are decent enough.

Due my illness and the approaching sunset, we were not able to visit more famous attractions in central and east Kyoto: 

A 15 minute walk from Kyoto station is Toji Temple, a historical temple with the tallest wooden tower in Japan. Nijo Castle is also a 25 minute train ride from Kyoto station.

A 30 minute walk from Kiyomizu-dera back through Sannenzaka and further north will bring you to the historical district of Gion, and just east of it is Maruyama Park. 

Heading further northeast for 30 minutes, you will encounter Nanzen-ji Temple, and another 5 minutes walk brings you to Eikan-do Temple. 

Another 5 minutes leads to the entrance of Philosopher’s Walk, a scenic pedestrian pathway which takes 10 minutes to cross. Walk another 15 minutes and you will reach Ginkakuji Temple (Higashiyama Jisho-ji, Silver Pavilion).

DAY 4: NABANA NO SATO DAY TOUR

We booked a day tour for the Gozaisho Ropeway and Nabana no Sato flower park via Klook. 

Pick up was at Nisha Umeda park at 10:15 a.m., and the first stop was a big tourist rest stop for a sukiyaki beef lunch set and shopping. Neither were that great, and the Gozaisho ropeway (cable car) tour was also ordinary aside from some autumn colours on the mountainside, probably wasn’t peak season (probably best to visit during spring bloom or winter).

The highlight was the Nabana no Sato flower park, which we arrived in the evening for their light show illumination (held from late October to early June), with over 5.8 million LED lights! Every year they create a different theme and this year was an Arabic theme. The light tunnel, light show (considered the largest and best in Japan), indoor Begonia Garden, and mini-attractions did not disappoint!

If you just want to experience Nabana and love shopping, I strongly recommend to get the Nagashima factory outlet and Nabana tour instead, which only costs S$78 (US$60) per pax. There is also an amusement park and spa adjacent to the factory outlet which gives you more choices.

Even better, if you drive, you should definitely visit Nabana during the day time for its flower park. Public transport to and from Osaka would take a couple hours at least (one-way) which is pretty tedious. However, it’s only a 50 minutes train and bus ride from Nagoya.

DAY 5: OSAKA

Now was the start of our Osaka sightseeing. In the morning, we took a Hankyu train to Ikeda, a small satellite city near Osaka. A short walk and we were at the Cup Noodle Museum Ikeda. However, most of the exhibits are in Japanese and we passed up on the cup noodle factory, where you can design and make your own cup noodles, due to long wait times. We did take the moneyshot of the cup noodles tunnel and bought some souvenirs at their gift store.

Going back to Ikeda station, don’t miss out on delicious takoyaki snacks from Tako Suke, and a fantastic soba lunch at Torisoba.

We then returned to Osaka, where we toured Osaka Castle, and soaked in some beautiful autumn scenery.

We then took the metro to the famous food and entertainment district of Dōtonbori (Dotombori), where we did restaurant and bar hopping, including sushi, tempura, fresh oysters, and omu rice. Also took photos of the iconic canal and famous Glico man billboard.

DAY 6: OSAKA & DEPARTURE

Final day, we had some time to burn till our flight in the evening, so we went to Shinsekai, another lively food and entertainment district near Dotonbori. There, we tried some iconic skewers tasting menu, and stumbled upon the MEGA Don Quijote Shinsekai, a giant Don Don Donki megastore with a huge and cheap range of duty-free food, snacks, and souvenirs to buy. Truly a must visit!

Other Attractions: We did not go to Universal Studios Japan due to time constraints, and we heard it was very crowded with long queues everywhere, probably due to the newly opened Super Nintendo World. We also did not have time for Nara Park, in the small city of Nara, which is famous for its wild deer and only an hour train ride from Osaka.

Flying Off

We took the Osaka metro and JR rail back to the airport. Kansai airport departure currently has a huge bottleneck during customs check, so it is wise to check in earlier to avoid complications.

COST BREAKDOWN

Flight: S$680 (US$500) per pax

Airbnb: S$185 (US$135) per pax

Transport (Trains & Taxis): S$109+S$11+S$20(misc. trains)+S$30(Kyoto Taxis)=S$170 (US$130) per pax

Misc. Expenses (e.g. Internet, Food, Attractions): S$400 (US$300) per pax

TOTAL: S$1,375 (US$1,000) per pax

SUMMARY

Osaka is a highly recommended place to go if you’re a foodie, while Kyoto in autumn is a bucket list spot for many people. Combined, you’ll get fabulous sights, unique experiences, immersive culture, awesome food, all at really affordable prices. Also, do book your flights, accommodation, and attractions as early as possible to get the best prices!

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